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Flight Review: Nuisance Or Opportunity?

Most pilots who fly single-engine piston airplanes in non-commercial operations do not undertake formal training at annual or other intervals. Instead, they are only required to complete a flight review from a certified flight instructor (CFI) every other year to fly as pilot-in-command. For most pilots, this is an exercise to be completed with as little effort as possible. Some pilots resent the requirement while a few even dread it. This doesnt have to be the case, however.

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Key Takeaways:

  • The mandatory biennial flight review for non-commercial pilots is often a minimal, rote exercise, failing to leverage regulatory flexibility for tailored, risk-based training that addresses common accident causes like loss of control and poor risk management.
  • An effective flight review should be a personalized educational experience, focusing on identifying, assessing, and mitigating operational risks using tools like the PAVE acronym and Flight Risk Assessment Tools (FRAT), mirroring typical pilot missions.
  • A key challenge is finding Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) trained to conduct such advanced, risk-based reviews, placing a responsibility on pilots to seek out qualified instructors or even structure their own "do-it-yourself" self-reviews for continuous improvement.
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Most pilots who fly single-engine piston airplanes in non-commercial operations do not undertake formal training at annual or other intervals. Instead, they are only required to complete a flight review from a certified flight instructor (CFI) every other year to fly as pilot-in-command. For most pilots, this is an exercise to be completed with as little effort as possible. Some pilots resent the requirement while a few even dread it. This doesn’t have to be the case, however.

While it might take a little effort to find a CFI who has the flick regarding what comprises a good flight review, the end result and the value you receive might be worth it. If you want to go further and try something different in the off year, a do-it-yourself event might be an equally good approach.

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